The Reds got off to a winning start in the Champions League thanks to Steven Gerrard’s late rescue act. What was your take on the performance?

Neil Atkinson (NA): It was stuttering from Liverpool. There’s a lack of fluency in a fair amount of what they are trying to do. This is understandable given the host of new players but it is something which needs to improve quickly. The approach seems far more ponderous than last season. That said our fifth game of last season was the 2-2 draw away at Swansea. Where Liverpool seemed ponderous. The wins just need to mount up at this stage of the season.

Mario Balotelli opened his LFC account with a goal against Ludogorets. How did you rate his display and how important a figure can he be for Liverpool this season?

NA: His reaction to the goal spoke volumes - it wasn’t the studied nonchalance we’ve seen in the past. He wanted that pay off. He worked hard last night and is looking to bring people into play all the time, yet the nature of his hard work - how and when to press, for instance - still seemed to be lacking the same fluency as Liverpool. He takes his goal beautifully and is clearly a significant presence. He’s a really good, brilliantly talented player who is still working out how to be a great one and he needs people around him. He isn’t going to do it on his own as per Sterling, Sturridge or Suarez.

And so he needs to be, for himself and for Liverpool, Liverpool’s least important attacker when he is on the pitch. He needs to work all that out, not be BALOTELLI. Let Sturridge lead the charge. He’s ready for it. Henderson’s just got the vice captaincy, Sterling is remarkably exciting. If Balotelli becomes one of Liverpool’s three most important players this season then either a lot has gone right or far too much has gone wrong.

Rewinding to Saturday, where did it go wrong and why do the Reds struggle so much against Villa at Anfield?

NA: A variety of reasons, one is that Aston Villa played well. They were sophisticated and posed Liverpool a series of questions they were unable to answer. They also got the early goal which is such a boon to any side going to a ground primarily to defend. Villa were also happy for Liverpool’s fullbacks to have the ball. This is interesting. Moreno especially looks an attacking threat, but too often he’s slinging the ball in from wide. Manquillo similar on the other side. Last season, for a variety of reasons, Liverpool’s fullbacks would look to start again and get a team hemmed in, rather than cross. Crosses suited Villa and they suited Ludogorets. You’d rather deal with an aerial duel against this Liverpool side as a central defender than movement and balls to feet.

The lack of fluency I mentioned along with needing people close to Balotelli didn’t help and a massive part of both of those was the performance of Coutinho. Much like last night he couldn’t get into it against Villa but unlike last night, on Saturday he played in the key attacking position on the pitch. He couldn’t link midfield and attack.

Both Villa and Ludogorets made life hard for the Reds by defending in numbers. Can we expect the same from West Ham this weekend and, with no Sturridge (or Suarez), how well are Liverpool equipped to break them down?

Liverpool are of course equipped to break them down but you know they are going to get a game. West Ham will defend in numbers, will look to turn Liverpool around and will look to be direct. We know all this. Last season Liverpool went to there and won the battle before winning the war. It’ll need much of the same on Saturday. They will kick the living daylights out of Balotelli. I’d almost be disappointed if they didn’t.

If you were Brendan Rodgers, how would you set your team up at Upton Park?

NA: Instinctively, I err towards the diamond in the league now we’ve seen what it can do regularly. I think it gets your best player in the middle of the pitch in Sterling, it gives Balotelli company and it helps Henderson. Borini showed a load of willingness last night and I’d just about give him the nod ahead of Markovic and Lambert to partner Balotelli for an hour. It isn’t ideal though.

I’d have Coutinho sit this one out and would go with an unchanged back five - not because they’ve all been perfect but because I wouldn’t rush Skrtel back - Gerrard; Henderson, Lallana; Sterling; Borini, Balotelli. If the manager feels it’s too attacking with Lallana in there - I don’t because he is good with the ball in tight areas and West Ham will ensure we have tight areas - then I’d pick Lucas before Coutinho and if possible a returning Allen before either of the Brazilians.